USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.2 > Part 29
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We were withdrawn after dark behind the railroad, and the siege of Petersburg was begun.
Captain Stewart writes me concerning the operations of the 18th of June as follows :-
When the Corps reached Petersburg the morning; of the 18th of June, General Griffin came to me and told me that he wanted me to move my battery forward, and that he would cover my advance by the other two batteries. After moving a certain distance, and Phillips and Richardson having joined me. I was directed to move forward again. the General pointing out the place where he wished me to form the line of batteries. but when I reached the place I found there was no protec- tion for either men or horses, but that there was a good position about 200 yards in advance of it. I moved forward to that point. the other batteries coming up on my left. You will recollect the place. It was in the front and a little to the right of the Avery house, where General Warren had his headquarters. The enemy had substantial works in our front with embrasures for their guns. While advancing to our posi- tion, the enemy opened upon us with a very heavy fire of artillery and infantry, but our artillery fire was so very effective. that they closed up their embrasures with bags of sand and withdrew their guns. I do not remember how many men I lost that day. but it was not many. Cap- tain Phillips's Battery lost pretty heavily, his First Lieut. being killed. Phillips was one of the best artillery officers I ever met: a thorough gentleman. and an officer who always looked out for the best interests of his men. After that attack of June 18th it was quite a common say- ing that the batteries assigned to Griffin's Division were always used as skirmishers, and such was the fact.'
THE FORTIFICATIONS.
At first the guns of the light batteries were mounted in the redoubts, but as soon as the siege trains came up our guns were gradually replaced by the 20-pounder Parrotts and four-and-a-half inch Rodmans.
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Meantime the caissons were parked, and a caisson camp established some distance back from the main lines, which at this point were only a few hundred feet apart. It was in the edge of a grove, on high, dry ground, where there was a good shade. Our left Rank rested on the bank of a little ravine, formed by one of the headwater brooks of the Blackwater, and in our rear at some distance, was the 'fresh beef cor- ral.' or herding ground of the Fifth Corps.
The artillery furnished gun crews for their own guns or the siege pieces in position, or helped to strengthen the redoubts. This work was always done at night . . . to see their rifles flash in the darkness a few hundred feet away, was the most trying thing I had ever expe- rienced. . . . This work of log cutting and digging was done between June 18th and July 15th. The Fifth' and Ninth Corps held the line, from the Appomattox on the right, beginning with Fort McGilvery. to the Jerusalem Plank Road on the left, a distance of over four miles, our Fifth Corps resting its left flank on the heavy redoubt known after- wards as Fort Davis, in front of the Cheever house, and its right join- ing the left of the Ninth at the Suffolk Road.
Fort Rice was half way between the Avery house and Fort Sedg- wick. . .. It was then the nearest point to the Rebel main line on the Fifth Corps front, though the Ninth Corps line at Fort Morton was still closer. . . . These earthworks finally formed one continuous forti- fication from Fort MeGilvery on our extreme right at the Appomattox River round to Fort Fisher on our extreme left. between ff and 12 miles long. or perhaps 15 miles, measuring along the top of the parapet. besides heavy reverse works to our rear, extending from the Blackwat"t Creek round to the Weldon Railroad at Globe Tavern, a distance of seven or eight miles : thence south a mile and a half to Fort Dushane. covering that portion of the Weldon Railroad which we used as an adjunct to our 'military railway' and thence westward from Fort Du-hane to Armstrong's mill, near the Vaughan Road Bridge, across Hatcher's Run. a distance of about 8 miles more, --- in other words. 33 to 35 miles of earthworks that it would be absurd to call mere fichi entrenchments.' but which were on the whole regular fortifications, quite equal to those I have since seen in Europe at places on the Franco- German and German-Russian frontiers, which their engineers consi.l- ered permanent strongholds. . . .
THE ARTILLERY BRIGADE.
Up to this time the batteries of the Corps had been distributed amorg the Divisions ; ours, Phillips's and Richardson's, having been with Grif- fin since about the last of May. But as soon as the siege operation. began, the Artillery Brigade was massed together again, and put into camp. . . The Norfolk Railroad cut was the key of the position in our front when the assault was made. It is the cut by which that road
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gets through the ridge on which the Avery house stands: this little ridge forming the watershed. between the brook that forms the head of the Blackwater flowing eastward, and a small creek that heads just south of the old Blackwater Road, and flows northward. emptying into the Appomattox just in front of Fort McGilvery, its entire course being between the two lines and its sloping banks forming the elevations from which the two sets of earthworks frowned at each other during the rest of the war.
This cut is about one-third of a mile long, its deepest part being directly in front of the Avery house, and not more than 200 yards dis- tant from it, at which point it may be 30 to 35 feet deep perpendicularly.
It was in this eut that Griffin massed his Division for the last assault about 4 o'clock p. m. June 18th, and from the southeast end of it our battery. with Richardson's ard Phillips' debouched on to the knoll above to fire over the heads of our charging infantry. Our line of works curved round the head of the little brook flowing into the Appo- mattox, and then crossed the cut at a point about due west from the Avery. housc."
Corporal Shackley's Notes :- "June 18, 1864, went into line about 8 a. m. . Fired 375 rounds."
FROM THE REPORT OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS.
To Lieut. Fordham Morris A. A. A. G. Art'y Brigade 5th A. C. August 6, 1864.
"FIFTH EPOCH.
The Battery was first engaged on the 18th of June in front of Petersburg. Griffin's Division having been or- dered to advance. Sweitzer's Brigade was placed on the right of the road crossing the Norfolk and Petersburg R. R. and advanced across the railroad. The batteries of the Division were placed on the left of the road, my own being the right battery, and advanced 'by battery' evenly with Sweitzer's Brigade. After advancing about 400 yards we reached the crest of the ravine, and remained there the rest of the day. During our advance we were constantly engaged with the rebel batteries. but suffered very little as their fire was uniformly high, and our constant change of
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position prevented them from getting the range. After reaching our final position we were much annoyed by mus- ketry fire, and about 4 p. m. Ist Lieut. Peleg W. Blake was killed by a rifle shot. Casualties: I officer killed, 4 men killed, four wounded."
In another portion of this report he says of Blake and Spear :-- "In his ( Blake's) death we have lost one of the best officers in the service. After his death the Battery was commanded by Lient. J. E. Spear, who filled the position ably, and to my entire satisfaction. The enlisted men, without exception, behaved admirably, showing bravery and coolness in action, and a patient endurance of the hardships of the campaign."
In a letter dated Camp before Petersburg, June 25, 186.4. Captain Phillips says :--- "The death of Lieut. Blake on the 18th was the saddest event we have had happen in the battery, and the greatest loss we have ever had. The body has been entbalined and sent home." . ..
NOTES OF CAPTAIN NATHAN APPLETON. MAY II, 1901.
"I write this at the Fort Monroe Club, and the light comes through an embrasure, where doubtless years ago there was a, for the time, big gun, but now a small glass window.
I have referred in my recollections of the first day of Spottsylvania, to the 32d Mass. Regt. Infantry and having made the acquaintance of its commander Colonel George L. Prescott. Ile was killed at the first attack on Petersburg. June 18, 1864, the very day that Lieut. Peleg W. Blake, my old comrade, was killed. I have seen Colonel Prescott's grave at Concord, Mass., and have often thought of him in connection with his namesake who commanded the Van- kee troops at Bunker Hill, both of them of the same true American type. I have met a veteran of the 32d Mass.
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who has given me the details of the death of Colonel Pres- eott. He was just mounting up the side of the railroad cut when he was shot, as also the color-bearer of the regiment whose place was at once taken by this soldier whose name is Henry K. Ellis, a resident of Middleboro', Mass.
It was not until Grant seeured the Danville and also the Southside railroads south of Petersburg, that it was all up with the Army of Northern Virginia ( Confederate forees) Lee, Jeff Davis, and all the confederaey at Richmond and thereabouts, and this was not done until the beginning of the campaign of 1865, which finished it up quickly. The investment of Petersburg had not accomplished it."
In the forenoon of the roth all three batteries were moved to the rear and went into camp. Sunday, June 19th, 1864, Corporal Shackley made the following entry in his Diary :--- "Took the gun out of line. Short of ammunition."
Dyer wrote: "Heavy picket firing all night. Soon after dark last night the Rebs attacked us, but were repulsed. This morning we took our Battery out of position, with- drawing one piece at a time, running it off by hand. Went in park & of a mile to the rear. In the evening 2 mortars opened upon the Rebs from the 9th Corps. June 20th. Aroused from peaceful slumber at 52 a. m. Remained in park all day. Batteries in our front were shelling through- out the day. At two hours before dark the Rebs opened and kept up a fire till dark. Lieut. O. B. Smith (Then Lieut. O. B. Smith Battery E, 3d U. S. Heavy Artillery in Gillmore's roth Corps) visited our Battery. On guard tonight."
Corporal Shaekley : "June 20, 1864. Received a supply of ammunition. June 21st moved about 4 miles to the left and went into camp."
The Second and Fifth Corps were being relieved by the Ninth, and all night of the 20th the latter corps was moving
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past them. Left camp at 12 m. on a very dusty, warm day. with Griffin's ist Division, which was placed on the leit of Ayres, the right resting on the Jerusalem Plank Road. Camped in the edge of the woods.
June 22d the men dug a well for water and a guard was posted near it. In the evening the Second Corps were attacked while straightening their lines. The Battery hitched up and went into position, but soon limbered up, and was back to camp by dark. The next day the rebels made several demonstrations along the line, and at dark there was some cannonading. On the 24th received orders from Corps Head Quarters that a heavy attack was appre. hended on our right. Tents were struck, and the men packed up ready for a move, and remained ready, lying in the hot sun. At dark they repitched their tents. The Rebs in making the attempt to force back our right were repulsed.
LETTER OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. "CAMP BEFORE PETERSBURG, June 25. 1864.
We are now encamped in a field on the eastern side of the Jerusalem Plank Road i. e. the Plank Road which goeth from Petersburg unto Jerusalem, passing through Sussex C. H. on the way. We are about equidistant from Petersburg and Blackwater Creek at the place where the Creek crosses the Plank Road aforesaid. Our camp is quite pleasant being far enough removed from the road to escape the clouds of dust which now form a prominent feature in the landscape. We are out of range of the enemy's guns. thanks to the topography of the country, the trees being so thick in front of our Division that there is no chance to put in a battery. So for the last three days we have been enjoying a rest from the troubles and turmoils of war. There seems to be a little lull at present, as if we were wait-
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ing for something to turn up. The weather is very hot and the dust is becoming intolerable. It is nearly three weeks since we had any rain, and the whole country is drying up. Our horses have to go a mile and a half to water and it is often hard to get water enough for the men. However, dust is better than mud, and the dryness of the season has been of the greatest assistance to us. We did not visit the place of our former sojourn at Harrison's Landing, but struck the James River at a much pleasanter spot."
Dyer's Notes: "Sunday, June 26, 1864. A warm, hot, sultry day. Considerable cannonading occurred off to the right. Towards night it commenced raining and we had quite a shower. Two years ago today we bid good bye to our camp at Gaines Mills. It is also the anniversary of the fight of Mechanicsville. June 27, 1864. Anniversary of Gaines Mills fight. On guard today. Not much firing occurred. The Battery has been digging a large spring for watering horses, and with good success."
On the night of the 28th they had three feet of water in the well. This was the second well dug and it was curbed with planks like the first.
LETTER OF Q. M. SERG'T. PEACOCK.
"CAMP NEAR PETERSBURG, VA. June 28, 1864.
This campaign beats everything I have seen, so far, in war,-continual fighting and marching for two months, and still the fighting continues. I cannot go away from the Battery at any time without meeting loads of dead and wounded men. So far our Battery has lost 9 men killed and 16 wounded; I lieutenant killed, and i wounded. We suffer much from the heat, and no rain for so long a time makes the dust awful. Every other day I am at City Point, 10 miles from here."
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"June 29, 1864, (Dyer's Notes) everything remained quiet throughout the day, the pickets having agreed to not fire at one another. General Wilson's cavalry got sur- rounded as they were returning from destroying the rail- road, and cut their way out.
June 30, 1864. We sent Benjamin Kanuse's body home today with money raised by the company. July Ist. Reveille at the usual camp hour 5 o'clock a. m. Received something from the Sanitary Commission for the 4th of July. Clark came up with some sutlers' goods."
July 2d, they built an arbor out of brush over the com- pany street, and Gorham brought up the rest of the sutler's goods. The next day the men helped the sutler fix his tent. They heard shelling on the right, and some more things came from the Sanitary Commission.
July 4, 1864, the entry in Serg't. Peacock's Account Book is,-"Fourth of July, 1864. In camp near Petersburg, Va. enjoying an excellent dinner furnished by the U. S. Sani- tary Commission. A beautiful day."
They did not, however, all fare alike. Captain Phillips wrote July 5th : "Our soldiers had a fine dinner yesterday, provided by the Sanitary Commission. There were toma- toes, mutton, beef, in cans, and a barrel of porter." Dyer's entry is as follows :- "On guard today. . Some firing at in- tervals of five minutes. Had roast chicken, toast, mutton. fried eggs, and crackers, for dinner, also porter to wash it down, presented to us by the Sanitary Commission." But Shackley writes :- "The canned stuff is divided, I can to each man in the Ist, 2d and 3d Detachments, but the men are not satisfied, and make it very unpleasant. The 4th and 5th Detachments made soup of their share and paid 15 cents per pound for potatoes."
MANNING THE HEAVY GUNS.
To quote again from The Cannoneer the words of the historian of Battery B, Fourth U. S. (Stewart's) :-
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"The Avery house redan was finished and mounted with two siege guns ready for action about 2 o'clock in the morning of July 4, 1864; General Warren being present in person when the gun detachments were told off for the heavy guns, and superintended the replacing of the gabions after the siege guns were placed in their proper position and the hanging of the mantlet of coiled rope to protect the can- noneers from sharpshooters. Our fire was very slow and deliberate that first day, the men were to be drilled who had never handled siege guns. The Rebels did not reply with much vigor. . . . The dry weath- er facilitated the building of the works, the construction of which was said by the veterans to be a picnic compared to the digging in the trenches before Yorktown two years before."
On July 5th a fort or square redoubt was laid out di- rectly in front of the camp, on the ground occupied by Bat- tery D, Ist N. Y., (Richardson's) and they were obliged to leave. One corner was in close proximity to the cook house which was built on the 5th and covered with brush. At night half a ration of whiskey was dealt out to the men.
Note in Peacock's Account Book :- "Ammunition on hand in Battery, percussion, case and canister-4 guns and 2 extra caissons, July 5th, 1864, of the 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th Detachments."
The infantry worked on the redoubt on the 6th and threw up a large pile of dirt. On the 7th they worked all day and all night. Captain Phillips rode down to the 18th Corps with Captain Bigelow, Captain Dow of the 6th Maine Battery, and Licut. Stewart.
July 8th the men dug two wells. At half past 4 heavy shelling. Our battle line was advanced to the picket line, and the Rebs opened upon us, but we held the ground gained and at night intrenched.
THE ARMY RATION.
The regulation Army Ration issued by the War Depart- ment, and copied from Peacock's Account Book was as fol- lows :-
"12 oz. Pork or Bacon or
11/4 lbs. Salt or Fresh Beef.
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18 oz. Soft Bread or Flour or 12 oz. Hard Bread or 20 oz. Corn Mical.
and to every too Rations 15 lbs. Beans, or Rease or
10 lbs. Rice or Hominy 10 lbs. Green Coffee or 8 Ibs. Roasted 11/2 lbs. Tea
15 Sugar 4 qts. Vinegar
11/4 lbs. Candles 4 lbs. Soap 334 lbs. Salt
1/4 1b. Pepper.
On a campaign or march the Ration of Hard Bread is one pound. Desiccated compressed potatoes or compressed mixed vegetables a: the rate of one and a half ounce of the former and one ounce of the latter to the ration, may be substituted for beans, pease, rice or hominy. July 8. 1854. Per Order of the Secretary of War.
E. M. STANTON."
July 9th the carriages and harnesses were all cleaned up for inspection which took place next day. Captain Phillips inspected the batteries of the Division. The Battery was inspected at 7.30 a. m. As soon as it was over Dyer went up to the 23d Mass. Regt. and saw a number of New Bed- ford boys: among them Charles Thompson who looked pretty sick. July 11th the infantry were still at work build- ing forts. 12th Dyer was on guard at the well, and had his hands full keeping the infantry away from it. At 12 o'clock orders came to move, and they went one mile to the right and went into camp in the rear of General Griffin's Head Quarters. Here they dug two more wells.
"July 13, 1864. ( Dyer's Notes. ) Pitched our tents in line and put up harness racks. The Rebs shell pretty near us, but as yet none have entered our camp. On fatigue. Helped dig a well. The sutler ordered to City Point. July 14th. Some shelling all along our lines. Towards night
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one of our teams went for baskets to build breastworks of. July 15th. Reveille at 53 o'clock. The first I heard was the musical sound of a shell whirring through the air. Con- tintied throughout the day; also a great deal of mortar fir- ing. The teams went to City Point for sanitary goods to-
LETTER OF Q. M. SERG'T. PEACOCK.
"CAMP NEAR PETERSBURG, VA ..
July 15, 1864.
I am writing only 1200 yards from a large rebel fort of 16 Guns. A strip of woods conceals us from them. If they only knew we were here, it would not be long before they opened on us. They fire at the right and left of us, but no shells have burst nearer than 300 or 400 yards. The Battery is not in position at present, but a work is now building for it only 500 yards from the rebel works and it will go into it in a night or so. They can work on it only nights, as the rebels keep up a continual fire. As I write the bullets of the rebel pickets can be plainly heard going whiz! whiz! through the air. Not a day passes without more or less fighting. The 9th and 18th Corps are en- gaged, mostly. They are on the right of us. We get plenty to eat this season; particularly vegetables, thanks to the Sanitary Commission. I received some socks excellent ones from them this afternoon, with the enclosed mark on them. If you know any of the Society give them my thanks. The Government socks are so poor they only wear me two weeks. (The mark is a small piece of white cot- ton cloth about two inches square bearing the half obliter- ated stamp of a society in Dorchester, Mass. ) They supply us with all kinds of pickles, onions, potatoes, dried apples, soft crackers, lemons, clothing, cabbage, 'pickled.' some tobacco, and many little things. I assure you we all feel
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very grateful to them for all of their good things, particu- larly at this time of the year.
I think the Commission does more to keep up the courage and spirits of the Army than any other one thing. Let no one say the Sanitary Commission is not doing a great work for us.
I send some leaves I got while at Charles City Court House.
I suppose there is great excitement about the Raid into Maryland. Well, I think our side will come out all right finally. They cannot draw Grant's Army from this place : he is continually fortifying here. He is bound to stick to all he has gained.
I suppose you have something of a panic about the cur- rency; gold taking such a rise. This Army will bring that out all safe before the year ends. I feel alinost discouraged sometimes about the rebels holding out so well, but they must kneel sooner or later; there is not a doubt of it. The thing has gone so far now that not an inch must be given up to them until they are conquered .-- Candle going out."
In July, 1864, the "Memorial" was published which has been framed and preserved by many members of the Bat- tery. It was compiled from the company records at Rap- pahannock Station in the winter of '63 and '64. and has a complete list of the members. It was published by J. C. Fuller & Co. of Baltimore, Md., and lithographed by Major and Knapp 449 Broadway. New York.
Of the produce of the Sanitary Commission, Dyer wrote July 16th. "Had a big dinner consisting in part of roast mutton, potatoes, onions, beets, pickles, and condensed milk for tea and coffee. Had lemonade to drink as a beverage. 17th. At night Battery B, 4th U. S., Lieut. Stewart, went in position beside the 83d Penn. Regt. Taps at 9 o'clock p. m."
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News had come to the camp that an attack was intended, so all the troops were put in the front line, but scarcely a gun was fired the whole length of the line. On the 18th Quarter Master Sergeant Peacock had the entry: "Sent Winters' instruments to Washington. (Winters was one of the buglers.) July 19th. Sent company Saving Paper for March to Washington for payment."
July 20, 1864, Dyer made the note, "The 18th Mass. Regt. started for Washington today."
In relation to Lieut. Aaron F. Walcott then in command of Martin's Third Mass. Battery, Captain Phillips wrote in a letter dated "Camp before Petersburg July 20, 1864 :--- I went to see Lient. Walcott the other day, and found him living undergound, the roof of his apartment being level with the surface, and being covered with several feet of earth. We had a shower of rain yesterday for the first time since the 2d of June. It was needed, as the dust had become very disagreeable, and the springs were getting dry. We are very lucky in our location in one respect i. e. in re- gard to our supply of water. Although the long drought had exhausted all the springs and brooks, there is no diffi- culty in digging a well and finding water anywhere round here. We have a well about 20 ft deep, provided with a pump. which furnishes excellent water abundantly enough for the men and horses. And there are wells all along our lines. The Rebel deserters who come in are much aston- ished to see us so well supplied, as they have thought we had to go to the river for water. . . . We have changed our position a little. We are at present camped in an open field out of reach of the enemy's shells.
Nothing very stirring is going on, though a few shots may be heard at any hour of the day or night. The lines are now quite near each other, but each party is so strongly entrenched that there is no danger of an assault on either side. From the right of our Division we can see both lines.
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from the Jerusalem Plank Road on the left, to the 18th Corps on the right. The lines are about 600 yards apart and skirmishers in small pits thrown out in front. Along the front of the 5th Corps the skirmishers are quite friendly. and do not fire at all. I was at the works the other day, and saw plenty of Rebel pickets so near that I could have recognized them if I had known them. Our front line of battle is placed behind a strong parapet and ditch with an abatis in front. The Rebels are similarly protected, and so we look at each other. Each side is constantly engaged in putting in guns, and every morning shows new em- brasures. Both sides have a lot of mortars in position which keep up a slow fire all the time, necessitating the con- struction of bomb proofs all along the line. . . . The Rebels desert now very constantly. About 5 a night, on an av- erage, come into our lines in front of our Division, and the same proportion in the Army would give over 50 a night."
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